An improved algorithm to aid in post-heal storm restoration

Utilities strive to have quick restoration after a power outage. Extreme co nditions, such as storms, create difficult restoration challenges because o f the large number of tasks necessary to restore power to many affected cus tomers. Restoration efforts can be further hindered when outage report esca lation algorithms predict the wrong location for affected devices. This paper describes a modified topological based algorithm that associates trouble calls with each other to provide more accurate information about o utages during heat storms. The heat storm algorithm was tested and verified on two feeders using test cases that simulated the heat storm conditions e xperienced at Northern States Power Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota in Ju ly 1995.